Advances in communication technologies provide ever increasing options for communication modalities amongst collaborating parties in addition to traditional modalities of communication (e.g., in-person meetings, telephone calls, etc.). For example, networks such as the Internet provide various digital communication modalities, including email, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), instant messaging, text messaging, online conferencing, video communications, telepresence, and the like.
Often, behavior and etiquette encourage a party in receipt of a communication to respond in like fashion (i.e., using the same modality), despite the availability of other (and sometimes more optimal) modalities of communication. For example, a party in receipt of an email sends a responsive email despite the availability of other modalities of communication such as a phone call, a conference, and even traditional modalities of communication such as an inter-person meeting. In certain instances, such behavior and etiquette results in inefficient communication amongst collaborating parties.
Another example of a resultant inefficient communication includes a hypothetical scenario where two users engage in a messaging session to discuss a topic. According to this hypothetical scenario, one user initiated the messaging session believing the interaction session regarding the topic would be brief. However, the messaging session proved lengthy, with numerous messages, replies, and even included additional related topics. At some point during the interaction, it becomes clear to one or both parties that the messaging modality was not the most efficient modality to discuss the topic.
A component or a feature that is common to more than one drawing might be indicated with the same reference number in each of the drawings.